1997 Pennsylvania Statistics Poster Competition

The String Thing

Grades 4-6: FIRST PRIZE

Conveys an experimental manipulation of two factors (washer
weight and string length) in a clear and simple manner. The hand
drawn graphics were visually pleasing and presented in a logical
order.

Suggestions:

It would have been a stronger presentation if the
hypothesis (on the back of the chart) had been displayed on the
chart as well as having the conclusions worked into the titles of the
graphs. Labeling the factors on the graphs would have helped
readability. The use of lineplots for the five trials was
questionable. It implied that the order of the trials was important
rather than the magnitude of the values. Bar, stem leaf, or
deviation charts about mean across trials would be more informative
about showing the variability in the trials. The length of string
factor on the bottom graph should have been presented in increasing
order as in the top graph.